The route simply doesn't make economic or environmental sense, according to an administrative law judge for the Public Utilities Commission and a PUC commissioner who were assigned to review the project.

But the two regulatory officials differed on whether SDG&E should build the 1,000-megawatt line at all.

Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth said in her proposed decision the line – which would provide enough power for 650,000 homes – would be too costly, bad for the environment and would increase fire risks.

“Sunrise is not needed,” she wrote.

Commissioner Dian Grueneich, in an alternate proposed decision, said the 123-mile line could be built along a southern route – if SDG&E could document how it would use it to dramatically increase its supply of renewable sources, such as solar, wind and geothermal.

SDG&E proposed Sunrise in 2005 as a way of ensuring reliable electricity and increasing its supply of renewable power. It's more efficient, it said, to use giant solar arrays in the desert and big wind farms in Mexico than to put solar panels on rooftops in San Diego, where sunlight is filtered through moist air.

The fight over Sunrise led to dozens of public meetings and inspired songwriters and filmmakers.

Critics said Sunrise would be ugly, unnecessary and dangerous. It would harm fragile deserts, destroy Indian artifacts and increase the risk of fire, they said.

When political opposition mounted in North County and among lovers of Anza-Borrego, SDG&E proposed a southern alternative winding along Interstate 8 through East County, but then told regulators it was not feasible. It reversed its position again last month and said the southern route would be acceptable.

The criticism of the project led regulators to commission an 11,000-page-plus environmental impact report, which ranked the southern route as “environmentally superior” to going through the park but said it would be better still not to build the project.

The PUC will hear arguments on the two proposed Sunrise decisions from SDG&E and its critics Friday and could take a vote on the $1.5 billion project as soon as Dec. 4.

The federal Bureau of Land Management, which owns much of the land along either route, will have its say in January.

Having two proposed decisions isn't unusual in controversial cases, experts with knowledge of the PUC said. The commission can choose between the two, or another PUC member can suggest a third alternative.

SDG&E didn't respond to Vieth's wholesale rejection of the power line, but it interpreted Grueneich's proposed decision as support.

“We are pleased the decision sponsored by Commissioner Grueneich supports the Sunrise Powerlink and agrees the line is needed to import the renewable energy supplies we need to meet California's greenhouse gas emission reduction and renewable energy goals,” Michael Niggli, SDG&E chief operating officer, said in a statement.

A spokeswoman wouldn't say whether SDG&E was willing to commit to the conditions the commissioner proposed.

“We are still reviewing the document,” spokeswoman Christy Heiser said.

State law requires SDG&E and other utilities to obtain 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2010. SDG&E now obtains 6 percent, Heiser said. It has contracts for 16 percent by 2010 and 21 percent by 2011.

SDG&E said it needs Sunrise to meet the 20 percent standard by bringing in solar power from Imperial County and wind power from La Rumorosa, in Mexico.

Critics say the projects on which SDG&E would rely are speculative and have not won PUC approval.

In her proposed decision, Vieth said building the line would cost so much that bringing in renewable electricity doesn't save money for ratepayers under existing law.

The line might make sense if the law mandated 33 percent renewable electricity, but it doesn't, and the commission doesn't have the authority to require that, she said.

In the alternate decision, Grueneich said adding generation in the San Diego region alone is “infeasible” because of the commission's stated goal to ensure that California gets more than one-third of its power from renewable sources.

Building the line would help Imperial Valley renewable energy producers develop new plants, she said.

But the environmental costs of building the line are high, she said, and that's why SDG&E should agree to meet a 33 percent goal and to use the line primarily for renewables before a shovel of dirt is turned to build Sunrise.

The line has support in Imperial County, where Supervisor Wally Leimgruber said yesterday he liked the idea of SDG&E committing to buy power from his area for export to San Diego.